Aston Villa’s players are reporting for pre-season training ahead of the 2022/23 campaign and Steven Gerrard is tasked with running the rule over a number individuals with uncertain futures. Jaden Philogene-Bidace is one of them, as he may not get into the first-team next season, so a decision needs to be made.
The 20-year-old has risen through the youth ranks to the fringes of the first-team, scoring nine goals with one assist from 15 games for the U18s and scoring 13 goals with four assists from 27 games for the U23s. He’s made five appearances at senior level and had two assists.
Philogene-Bidace has struggled for senior opportunities, however. He found himself behind Leon Bailey, Bertrand Traore, Emiliano Buendia and Philippe Coutinho in the pecking order, amassing just 124 minutes of senior football, so a loan move to Stoke followed.
The 20-year-old showed a lot of promise at the Britannia Stadium, impressing fans and his coaches, so he’s given Gerrard a lot to think about. He only scored one goal in 10 Championship games for Stoke but had 22 successful dribbles and 17 shots, so he was always a threat in matches.
But whether that will see him get playing time over Bailey, Traore, Buendia and Coutinho next season remains to be seen. Another loan move to the Championship could suit all parties, as Philogene-Bidace should thrive with regular minutes in the second tier. He still has a lot to prove.
